Eä
Eä was the very first simulated universe in the Intergalactic Network. It contained the world of Arda where the events of Lord of the Rings took place. Creation It was created in the Ainulindalë, a song of creation sung in the Timeless Halls by Eru Illuvatar and the Ainur including the Valar who were the more powerful Ainur who were to help shape Eä, and the Maiar who were to help the Ainur. The Valar, Melkor who was starting to become corrupt due to his pride sung discord in the song which corrupted Eä. Some of those nearby attuned their music to his, until two musical themes were warring before the Throne. To correct the Discord, Eru introduced a Second, and then a Third Theme into the music. But Melkor succeeded in holding back the Second theme, of which Manwë was the chief instrument. The Third was the theme of Elves and Men, and while it was not overwhelmed by the Discord as the Second theme was, it too failed to correct it. When Eru brought the Music to an end, he rebuked Melkor, praising his strength but reminding him that, as an aspect of his creator's thought, anything that Melkor could bring into being ultimately had its source within Eru himself. As such, even the Discord redounded in the end to the glory of Eru's work. This rebuke shamed Melkor, but brought on anger in him as well, though he hid it. Thus when the Music was made incarnate as Arda, it was already flawed through the Discord, and immoderate heat and great cold stalked it. Melkor then took in the interest of the World and descended to it with the other Valar which were the most powerful Ainur. When the Valar entered into Arda and began to shape the unwrought matter, Melkor saw the Field of Arda and claimed it for his own. However, the other Valar took Manwë to be their lord, for while Manwë was not nearly so powerful as Melkor, he understood the thought of Eru better than any of his peers. Bitter, Melkor set himself against the other Valar. Whenever the Valar worked to better the world, Melkor disrupted their efforts. For a long while, Melkor fought alone against the might of all the other Valar and Maiar of Arda, and he long held the upper hand. During this time, Arda was kept essentially shapeless, as Melkor ruined virtually every early work that the other Valar attempted to create. Fortunately for them, the mighty Valar Tulkas eventually descended to Arda, and his strength tipped the balance in favor of the Valar. Melkor fled before him, and left Arda for a time. He later returned with other fallen Maiar who attuned themselves to his Music. One of them, Sauron became his lieutenant. The others became balrogs. When the Elves were awakened, he captured many of them, and transformed them by torture and other foul craft into orcs. Melkor eventually became known as Morgoth. In the end of the War of Wrath during the First Age, Morgoth's forces were utterly defeated. The balrogs were destroyed, save some few that fled and hid themselves in caverns at the very roots of the earth. Morgoth was utterly defeated and stood at bay, but was yet unvaliant. He fled into the deepest of his mines and sued for peace and pardon, but his feet were hewn from under him, and he was cast upon his face. He was bound with the chain Angainor, his Iron Crown was beaten into a collar for his neck, and he was thrust through the Door of Night into the Timeless Void. Fourth Age The Fourth Age was the age of the defeat of Sauron in the War of the Ring. The destruction of the ring caused Mordor to be destroyed causing the deaths of the orcs there. Most of the surviving orcs lived in the Misty Mountains and Moria. Later Morgoth broke through the Door of Night and returned for a final battle. He was defeated for good. After that, the people of Middle Earth and the Ainur sung a second song which created a Multiverse and had plans for a Universe where there would be a planet called Earth. Eventually powerful immortal beings from a universe called the Q Continuum had members marry the monarchs of Middle Earth, causing their successors to be half Q and the kingdoms to become vassals to the Q Continuum.